Aging is often feared as the decline of our physical and mental capabilities, but what if we viewed it as an opportunity for extraordinary transformation? The notion that you can't teach an old dog new tricks is being challenged by remarkable individuals worldwide who prove that age is merely a number when it comes to living well.
Charles Eugster
Was a retired dental surgeon, who became known as the ‘World’s fittest old age pensioner’. He broke the 200m world record last year in the over-95s age group at the British Masters Indoor Championships in London.
In the year 2017 at the age of 95, on taking up sprinting, he broke the British records for the 60m, 100m and Long Jump.
Thats not even the most impressive thing about Charles. Up until his late 50’s he was a total couch potato, he did everything he could to choose comfort over the discomfort of physical exercise. This lifestyle caught up with Charles and he developed an array of health problems, so he decided to completely change what it ment to get old. He decided to get fit when he was in his fifties saying he was a “self-satisfied, balding lump of lard”. At the age of 63, he took up competitive age-group rowing, followed by body building at the age of 87, winning 40 gold medals for World Masters rowing.
He weighs as much as he did when he was drafted into the army (in 1942) and can do 50 push-ups in 45 seconds.
Johanna Quaas 88 year old gymnas
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There are some people who remind us that age is just a number. Johanna Quaas is a 97-year-old German woman who was certified by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest active competitive gymnast in 2012.
Sister Madonna Bruder
Known as “The Iron Sister”
Buder, a member of Sisters for Christian Community, hasn't always been such an accomplished athlete. When she was 23 she became a nun, which she said is her life's calling. Then at the age of 47, a priest suggested she try running for spiritual enrichment. At 52 she added swimming and cycling, and she hasn't looked back since.
At 78 years old, Bruder still races triathlons. Among the most grueling sporting events in the world, triathlons consist of swimming, cycling and running in succession. She has participated in more than 320 of them -- 40 of which were Ironman class events consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26-mile run.
At 75, the American nun became the oldest woman to ever complete an IRONMAN triathlon. At 82, she set a world record as the oldest IRONMAN triathlon competitor. Today, at 86 years old, she has completed over 40 IRONMAN races, each comprising a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.
Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura Climbed mount Everett
Yuichiro Miura (Japan) made his way to the summit of the world’s highest mountain to break a record that still stands 10 years on.
The skier is the oldest person to climb Everest (male). He was 80 years 223 days old when he scaled the mountain on 23 May 2013.
This was actually the third time Yuichiro secured the record.
He first broke it in 2003 when he was 70 years 222 days old, but three years later, Takao Arayama (Japan) took it at age 70 years 225 days.
A couple others broke the record in the following years, before Yuichiro took it back in 2008 and then secured it again at an older age in 2013, even though no one older had done it since.
The feat also makes him the oldest person to climb a mountain over 8,000 m.
Richard Morgan.
Richard Morgan, 93, was the subject of a new case study, which found he is as fit as someone half his age. The Irishman wasn’t very active until he began indoor rowing regularly at 73 years old.
At 93, the Irishman is a four-time world champion in indoor rowing, with the aerobic engine of a healthy 30- or 40-year-old and the body-fat percentage of a whippet. He’s also the subject of a new case study, published last month in the Journal of Applied Physiology, that looked at his training, diet and physiology.
Mr Morgan's remarkable fitness journey has landed him as the subject of a groundbreaking study on healthy aging. Researchers are baffled by his 80% muscle mass and heart function, which resemble those of a 40-year-old. This ageless oarsman is an inspiration to us all, proving that it's never too late to embrace an active lifestyle and reap the rewards of physical fitness.
Consistency, diverse training, weight workouts, and a high-protein diet form the four fundamental pillars of Mr Morgan's fitness routine.
Researchers also reported that Morgan, who weighs about 165 pounds, enjoys a protein-packed diet.
He eats about 1 gram of protein per pound of his body weight each day, exceeding the usual dietary recommendation for someone of his stature.
Jim Arrington (USA) 93-year-old
Spent decades sculpting his body.
The retired sales professional and great-grandfather first entered the record books as the world’s oldest bodybuilder in 2015, at the tender age of 83.
Now aged 93, Jim is still going strong and still winning bodybuilding competitions.
He most recently competed in an IFBB Professional League event in Reno, Nevada, placing third in the men’s over-70 category and first in the over-80 category.
Now, ask yourself: are you doing enough to ensure your golden years are just as golden as your youth? These individuals didn't just accept aging; they embraced the challenge to keep thriving. it's never too late to start making choices that enrich our lives and health. This isn't about defying age, it's about redefining it.